A lesson from Nature.
Upon a rise, above a dark lake were several exposed pillars from the ruins of what had once been a temple. Within these pillars stood together an oak and a linden tree. As they had grown, they became entwined and were by far the largest of the trees in the kingdom. Men had been hard at work cutting down many trees in the region on instructions from the King. He wished to build somewhere to hold future symposiums. A man sat taking his rest under the shade of the entwined trees. A younger man ambled along the water's edge, picked something up and walked toward the former with his hand outstretched. "Like this Pater…" in his hand was a stone, he showed him the smooth flat edge. His father reached out and took it with a grunt, turned it over and said" yes, yes it will do". Then he spat on the blade of his axe and started using the smooth stone to touch up the edge. His son looking on, watching every movement. Finally, it was his turn, and he mirrored his fathers' actions to sharpen his axe. The two men stood, stretched out and prepared to cut the beautiful tree down. When out of nowhere appeared an old woman. "Take heed," said she, "this tree is under the protection of the Great mother, she shall be angered if they are threatened."
"They?" scoffed the boy.
"They." Repeated the old woman.
"Why would the gods care for this tree?" chimed in the father.
"why indeed" sighed the woman, then after thinking a moment, she rounded on them both. "if you shall listen with your ears and open your mind, I shall show you why it is so." She walked to the edge and looked down at the dark lake. "Before this lake, there was a valley…"
A thick mist soon enveloped them, after a time if began to clear. In the place of the lake was a beautiful picturesque village. On the outskirts were rich pastures of barley proudly showing their new green heads. A well-travelled road led through the village and was bordered on both sides by Judas trees with their deep pink clusters of pod like flowers presenting themselves along their branches. The people were busily preparing a feast for a visit from the great god Zeus the Thunderer, for it had become known that he would visit. There was an inviting smell of a pig being roasted on a spit wafting through the town. It was just before sunset when two beggars approached the village, they stopped at the centre of the village where the people were sitting around chattering with excitement. The men stopped, however before they could speak were chased off because the people only cared about their preparations for the feast to celebrate the great god's visit, and they had no time for two dirty beggars.
"Be off with you." Stated one well-to-do villager as he hurried toward them menacingly. Other villagers joined in shouting obscenities and throwing stones at the pair to get them to move along quickly, it did not stop until they departed the village.
The men continued along the road as it led out of the village, upwards toward the top of a waterfall. It started to rain as they approached the humble one room home of Philemon and his wife Baucis. Outside were beehives, they grew grapes, figs, olives, pomegranates and a small field in which their grain grew. They owned one goat which provided them milk. This all provided them with more than enough for their meagre needs, and they were always welcoming to those in need of food and or a roof over their heads for the night and this night would be no exception. Philemon noticed the two men huddled under a tree in the rain and beckoned them to come into the house out of the rain. On arriving inside Philemon lead them over to the bucket where he usually washed after the day's work. They washed their hands, face and feet and headed over to be seated near the hearth, where Baucis had added some dried twigs as tinder to the fire in hopes of reigniting it from the embers, when she was successful she started to prepare a selection of figs, pomegranates, grapes and the olives she topped with honey and presented it on a tray made of wood. Philemon approached his wife carrying a jug half full of wine, Baucis smiled warmly at him as she topped it with water. So while the rain continued and the wind started to blow harder, Old Philemon and his wife made sure to the comfort of their guests and ensured they had enough to eat and drink, and as they chatted into the night and laughed, and although they drank and ate merrily the wine jug failed to empty and the food platter remained plentiful. When it became time to retire for the evening, the old couple gave up their own place of sleep to the strangers and slept in each other's arms by their hearth.
Throughout the night and well into the next day, followed by the next until the days blended together the wind and rain continued, and all the while Philemon and Baucis continued to sleep in each other's arms contently.
On a sunny day, they awoke, the fire still burning in their hearth. Looking over at the place they usually slept Philemon noticed there was no sign of the strangers. Then the room was suddenly filled with radiant light, and there before them stood Zeus in all his splendour. They scrambled and flung themselves prostrate at the feet of the great god. Philemon asked, "Oh great Zeus how may we be of service."
Looking down at them Zeus answered. "How may you be of service? Surely you know, surely you understand." Zeus looked down at them, but they were too afraid to look at the great god. "Rise, do you not understand, each time you took a traveller into your home and shared what little you had with them, you were doing the gods a service… Ask of me anything."
"We wish only to serve." Spoke Philemon.
"…and neither to outlive the other." Added Baucis.
Zeus looked them both over and then nodded. "it shall be done; you shall serve as Priest and Priestess to the Gods and never shall you be parted."
So the home of Philemon and Baucis became a temple to the gods and continued to shelter those in need for many long years. One morning Baucis went out to watch the sun rise, she was soon joined by Philemon who put his loving arms around her, then they were gone and, in their place, an oak and linden tree with their branches touching. Over the years the trees grew even closer and entwined.
By and by, the mist fell anew and after a time it cleared. Father and son found themselves once more near the tree, there was no sign of the old woman. They looked to the tree, and then to each other, pick up their possessions and turning from the tree they observed a horseman approaching. King Aethan had come to inspect the workings of his people and find a suitable site for logs to be cut into lumber for his symposium venture. Still seated on his horse he enquired of the pair. "Where are you going, it is not time to go home, get to work and fell that tree."
"We cannot my King, the Great mother will be angered." Spoke the father.
" The Great mother." Spat the king. "When will you peasants learn? There are no gods, all you see is mine to do with as I please." Continued the King.
The father and son started to protest, but the King silenced them, leaning down he snatched the axe and started for the tree. On approach, he stepped down from his horse and went to start on the tree.
The old woman had returned, not a one of them saw where she appeared from. "Atone King Aethon, for all you see before you belong to the Great mother." Said she.
King Aethon was angered, he turned and raised his axe and made for the old woman attempting to strike her down, but the old woman disappeared into the mist that was now blanketing where they both had stood. King Aethon found himself in a strange forest as the dense mist cleared, and there before him appeared the old woman, but she looked different. Her hair was the colour of wheat, her eyes were remarkably green. Then the Great mother spoke. "Child, you failed to listen to those who tried to warn you. There are many things I shall forgive, but those trees are dedicated to two remarkable mortals who stood as an example to mortals and gods alike. It is my privilege to be their protector." She walked further into the forest closely followed by Aethon. "Now little King, you may chop to you hearts content. You shall stay here until it is done."
He smirked at her and she disappeared into thick mist. Forward he stomped, stopped and started chopping down the nearest tree, after a time he was tired and hungry, so he foraged and built a small shelter to spend the night in. The next morning, he started out early and once again started felling the tree, this went on for days, then weeks, into months and may have even become years. Every day he repeated, until he had forgotten how long he had been at it.
Finally, he looked back over his handiwork only to stare in disbelief to find that the trees had grown back.